It's no secret that when it comes to parental leave, the U.S. is behind many other countries.
But a new workplace "trend" is aiming to help new parents get a longer, and paid, break.
More and more co-workers are donating their paid time off to new parents, and it's even become a popular baby shower gift in federal offices, according to The Washington Post.
The reasoning? So that new moms can extend their leave after giving birth.
15 percent of employers allow workers to donate their paid time off to co-workers, according to an upcoming employee benefits survey from the Society for Human Resource Management. The full survey will be released on June 19.
While the Family and Medical Leave Act requires 12 weeks of guaranteed maternity or paternity leave, there's no law that requires employers to offer pay during that time in the United States.
